Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-13
FURIOUS FLAMES.
rfoHrDAs ANcrrRr AND HISTORIC
CITY ABLAzI.
Destructive coshagration In 81. Ausus-
tine saso,ooo Worth Of Property
Burned, and One Life Lost.


JACKSONVILLE, FLA, April 1.-THE
Times Union ST. Augustine special
gives full account OF fire there this
morning which destroyed about $780,
COO worth OF property. An alarm WIS
given at 3:15 A. NJ. for q blaze in the
laundry of st. Augustine Hotel, on the
north side OF the plaza. The flames
spread rapidly to the kitchen and
then to the main part OF the build
ing. The fire department consisted
only Of a hook-and-ladder truck and
one Mansfield steam engine, and was
soon on the scene. but ii was impossi-
bic to do anything to save tho hotel,
which was already wrapped in flames.
j he guests, numbering ninety, and forty
servants, with the exception OF one laun-
dry-woman bridget Barry, escaped.
BY this time the flames had crept
through the entire building and commu
nicated to the Edwards House and
"1he Cottage" on the north, both frame
buildings. These were soon reduced
to ashes, and the flames swept on north
ward to the Planters House and the
Florida House, an annex. Here the
firemen and citizens by heroic efforts
succeeded in preventing the fire from
reaching the main building of the Flori-
da House, which is of wood, and only
fifteen feet from the annex. The
next buildings to 60 were the First
National Bank and one of the oldest
landmarks in the ancient city-the
I'D Spanish Cathedral, Just west of the
It. Augustine House. The roof caught
and coon fell. destroying all the old
historic relics in the interior. The old
chimes fell, too, their last work being
the alarm which summoned citizens to
the scene Of the confagration. BY great
effort the Bishops residence and the
house of DR.. J. Il. Peck, on the west,
were saved, but were greatly damaged
by water.
At this time the east wall of the st.
Augustine House, facing Charlotte
street, fell, carrying the flames to SIN
clair block, on the opposite side, in
which were the stores of Gonzales g.
Pcnhayon, May Yong's restaurant,
Vedder's museum, Bucks restaurant,
Davis's barber-shop, Chickering'S &
Co.'s cigar-factory, and Speizegger's
drugstore. All were completely de-
stroyed. Next, Chamberlin's grocery
and Mrs. i. f. Cars residence, north
of the Sinclair block, were destroyed.
Returning to the west sideo of the street,
the fiery element reached the old county
courthouse on the north, which was
totally destroyed. The records, how
ever, were removed and saved. We'd
der a. Comptel's store and Welters
restaurant, on the west, were burned
also, but here the fire was checked, and
ct 7:30 o'clock was completely under
control.
The losses, which will aggregate
$3.50, 000, are az nearly as can now be
learned as follows st. Augustine
Hotel, $50, 000-no insurance; First
National Bank building, "a, 000-no in
surance; old Cathedral, S10,000-in-
surance, $4,100 in New York comps-
MES; "The d. Cottage" S2,500-in-
suIance, 81, GOO in the Hope Insurance
Company, of Louisiana; Edwards
House, $10,0O0-no insurance; Yedder
& Comptel's Museum, S3,000-in-
surance, $500 ; courthouse, IS, O0O-in-
surance, $1,000 in the Phoenix
Insurance Company, of Hartford
Welter's restaurant, Si,0O0-insurar &c,
81 GOO on the building, owned by us.
Smith Mrs. B. Z. Cars residence and
store, SS,000-insurance, 5000 in
Boston companies Chamberlin's gro
Gerry, $S, 000-insurance, $4,000 Bucks
restaurant, 80, 500-no insurance Con
zales & Benhayon, S5,000-no insp-
rance; Davis's barber-shop, S5OO-ho
Insurance May Yong's restaurant,
81, OO0-no insurance Vedders mu-
leum, $2,OOO-no insurance; Speizin-
gers drugstore, s2,000-no insurance.
The proprietor of st. Augustine
Hotel was Captain E. S. Vail, who was
the pioneer hotel-man of the ancient
city. His insurance had just expired
The old Cathedral, one of the most
interesting landmarks in the city, was
built in 1898, and was in use for pur-
poses of worship up to the time of its
destruction.
Besides the losses above mentioned
were those OF the guests in the hotels
and numerous small losses which,
although they cannot be detailed, will
bring the total loss up 10 the aggregate
before mentioned.
Bridget Barry was the only percon
whose life was lost. She escaped early,
hut returned to save her clothing, and
Was not seen afterward.